Quality of life of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis: Preliminary validation of the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire in Singapore

Though sufferers of perennial allergic rhinitis do not die from their ailme nt, they endure years of chronic nose disease that interferes with many imp ortant aspects of their lives. A rhinitis-specific instrument to gauge the quality of life of patients with this disease was published in 1991. Here, we validated the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) f or use in English-speaking patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. We es tablished that the RQLQ distinguishes between patients and control, demonst rates internal consistency and is sensitive to change. This study suggests that the RQLQ can be used to assess the quality of life of patients with pe rennial allergic rhinitis in Singapore.